Christine Wood photo

This current Gibsons Elementary School building will likely be demolished when a new school is built on the site in 2014.

Christine Wood/Staff Writer

A team from School District No. 46 (SD46) is currently short-listing architects who want to design the new Gibsons Elementary School.

The evaluation team consists of secretary treasurer Nic Weswick, superintendent of schools Patrick Bocking, Gibsons Elementary School principal Deborah Luporini, manager of facilities Rob Collison and project consultant Jim Alkins as well as an outside architect to help evaluate plans and monitor fairness.

He monitors the entire process to make sure that its done by the book, said board chair Silas White. I guess when youre dealing with this much money in a public structure like this, you dont want that to be a question where someones awarded a contract for reasons that might not be completely above the board.

The contract is worth millions to the right proponent. In April the province announced SD46 would receive $ 14.3 million to build the new school.

Originally Gibsons Elementary School was going to undergo a seismic upgrade, but a feasibility study done in 2007 showed constructing a smaller, more energy-efficient school to be more cost-effective.

Once the evaluation team picks their three favourite architects, a more detailed request for proposals will go out to them, including the teams criteria for the build.

The RFP will put some restrictions on what we want. Like if we want parking in a certain place if they want certain fields to be preserved thats the kind of thing that will go into the RFP, and I think that will be happening in October, White said.

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Evaluation team shortlists architects

When solar panel manufacturer Solyndra Inc. filed for bankruptcy last year, thousands of employees were let go, dozens of vendors were left high and dry, hundreds of millions of dollars were lost and millions of glass tubes were abandoned in a San Jose warehouse.

Now some of those tubes, a signature design element of the company's cylindrical-shaped solar panels, have found a second life as modern art. Yet like so much about Solyndra, they've become another flash point in the controversy surrounding the Fremont, Calif., company.

Oakland architects Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello used 1,368 of the glass tubes to create "SOL Grotto," an architectural sculpture on display in the lush grounds of the UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley. The piece is part of a larger exhibit called Natural Discourse, which features work from a multidisciplinary group of artists, writers, architects and researchers.

But "SOL Grotto" has generated the most publicity as the source of a fresh wave of criticism by conservative commentators and House Republicans, who have long held up Solyndra, which had been awarded a $535-million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy, as a prime example of wasteful spending by the Obama administration. Some of those critics are now blasting SOL Grotto as the world's most expensive piece of taxpayer-funded artwork, even though a U.S. Bankruptcy Court determined that the glass tubes no longer had value.

"UC-Berkeley's Solyndra Artwork Would Shatter Record for World's Most Expensive Piece," read a recent news release from the Republican-dominated House Energy and Commerce Committee, which conducted an exhaustive investigation into Solyndra's loan guarantee. One Fox News commentator joked that "we could take a sledgehammer to it and call it performance art."

"SOL Grotto" was conceived not as a political flash point but as a take on the Walden Pond cabin of 18th century philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau. The glass tubes, each of them 3 feet, 9 inches long, penetrate an entire wall of a small shed that has been built in the Botanical Garden on the banks of Strawberry Creek, allowing fresh air and natural light to fill the room. The sound of the creek's small waterfall is amplified by the glass.

"The best time to see it is in the early morning," said Rael, as he stood in the doorway to SOL Grotto. "It really changes throughout the day. When the morning fog breaks and the sun comes out, the glass glows brilliantly."

Rael got the glass tubes from JIT Transportation, a San Jose company that had a contract with Solyndra to transport and store the tubes, which were manufactured overseas. When Solyndra filed for bankruptcy, the company was stuck with about 8 million tubes stacked up on 4,800 pallets, as well as a hefty, unpaid invoice.

"Solyndra owes us about $300,000 for the cost of storing the materials, and they never paid us a penny," said Gene Ashley, president of JIT. "When I finally contacted the bankruptcy attorney, they had no clue that we even had Solyndra product."

Ashley is a registered Republican, and the whole experience made him bitter.

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Solyndra's glass tubes find new life as modern art

Serie Architectsa young firm with offices in London, Mumbai, and Beijingis designing a museum dedicated to the art of Yan Zhenqing. Christopher C. M. Lee, one of Serie's founding partners, says his team is still developing the design but expects to break ground on the museum at the end of 2012 and finish construction roughly a year later. He says the client learned about his firm from its design proposals for the Xian International Horticultural Exposition and the Xintiandi Factory H in Hangzhou.

Image courtesy Serie Architects

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The museum is set on an 8,265-square-meter site in Linyi, Shandong Province. It will house a collection of works by the eighth-century AD Shandong calligrapher Yan Zhenqing, whose writing is known for its bold vertical and light horizontal strokes. Serie mimicked the vertical emphasis of the calligraphy in its detailing on the museums faades, which will likely be rendered in ceramic tile. In Series initial design scheme, these details were drawn as true verticals; in its more developed design, they are diagonal. The prominent verticals contrast with the lightness of the main horizontal elementscolonnades that serve as the main circulation through the site.

These rectangular colonnades frame a collection of low, square buildings. The seeming randomness of the buildings' locations suggests dice thrown into boxes. But Serie claims a different metaphorthe scholars garden. Like that ancient model, the Yan Zhenqing Museum occupies a remote hilly site allowing for a monastic retreat far from the city. And like the scholars garden, landscape is integral to the design. Eight buildings sit on three garden terraces that rise slightly above the ground plane. Visitors will move from inside to outside and back again as they tour the museum.

Lee says he and his team designed the architecture so it would not compete with Yan Zhenqings artwork. The simple orthogonal shapes and unassuming scale of the project are markedly different from the designs of many new museums. Most museums, even in China, are often seen as one large volume, often of convoluted forms, he says. Lee believes that such forms, while often touted as innovative, are completely status quo.

Lee professes a different idea about making architecture. According to Serie's website, The practice is fascinated by the evolution and mutation of building types in todays cities and the projection of these forms of intelligence into spatial solutions. The firms founding principals, Lee and Kapil Gupta, met at Londons Architectural Association, where Lee is currently director of the Projective Cities Programme. They established Serie Architects simultaneously in London and Mumbai in 2008 and opened a Beijing office in 2010. Lee says the firm took its name from the idea of working in a series. Its a conceptual framework that allows one to bring together things, architects, and buildings that share the same characteristics, he says. That is, you take the most common and make them special.

Series emphasis on a dominant type was the starting point for the design of the Yan Zhenqing Museum. According to Lee, the firm looked to the walled courtyard house type specific to northern China as a model for its work. It used three such courtyards to collect three building programs. Visitors will move through these courtyards both horizontally and vertically. They will start at an entry level with reception and shops, move up to a terrace with education and public facilities, and reach the exhibitions at the top level. It is not too dissimilar from the way in which spaces are organized within a traditional courtyard house, says Lee. The most precious object and the most private spaces are always placed at the deepest end of the project.

This processional route from level to level is the focus of drawings of the Yan Zhenqing Museum. Renderings of the project, on the other hand, are dominated by the skylights of the buildings. The technicalities of the skylights design are still being developed, but they will likely include vertical blinds in order to create completely dark rooms and give flexibility to the museums use. In Series first scheme, the skylights are drawn perpendicular to their shape, like the true verticals on the original faade. They currently have a more rhythmic appearance suggesting perhaps windswept pieces of paperan apt symbol for a collection of calligraphy.

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Serie Architects Designs Museum in China for Calligrapher's Art

The Irish Times - Thursday, August 30, 2012

FRANK McDONALD, Environment Editor, in Venice

GRAFTON ARCHITECTS from Dublin have won a Silver Lion award at the Venice Architecture Biennale for the impressive presentation of their plans for a university campus in Lima, Peru, which is on show here.

It is the first time such a prestigious award has been won by Irish architects since Ireland came to the architecture biennale in 2000. It was described as an incredible honour for us, our team and for Irish architecture in general, by Graftons Yvonne Farrell.

Grafton Architects have followed up on winning World Building of the Year at Barcelona in 2008, and in Italy, of all places, said architect and critic Shane OToole.

Founders Farrell and Shelley McNamara were invited to the biennale by director Sir David Chipperfield, who chose its theme of Common Ground and gave Grafton a premier position in the main pavilion.

Exploring architecture as the new geography, they were inspired by the work of Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha and drew on striking similarities between Skellig Michael and Perus Machu Picchu. The jury, chaired by Dutch architect Wiel Arets, said the conceptual and spatial qualities of Graftons installation demonstrate the considerable potential of this architectural practice in reimagining the urban landscape for Limas technical university.

The Golden Lion for the best project embodying the Common Ground theme went to Swiss-based Urban Think Tank, architecture critic Justin McGuirk and the people of Caracas, Venezuela, for creating a new community in the skeletal frame of an office block.

The Torre David project was represented by a pop-up Venezuelan restaurant with neon signs. Sharing a meal is the best way to establish common ground for a discussion, Urban Think Tank said.

The Golden Lion for the best national pavilion went to Japan for an exhibition co-ordinated by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, which shows how shattered trees and other detritus from last years earthquake and tsunami could be used to make new homes.

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Grafton win Venice architecture prize

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) announced the winners of the 2012 Professional Awards and Student Awards this week. The awards honor the top public places, residential designs, campuses, parks and urban planning projects from across the U.S. and around the world.High-resolution images and full project information can be viewed at http://www.asla.org/2012awards/.

ASLA will present 37 awards to professional landscape architects and their firms, selected from more than 620 entries in the categories of General Design, Residential Design, Analysis and Planning, Communications, and Research. In addition, The Landmark Award recognizes a distinguished landscape architecture project completed between 15 and 50 years ago that retains its original design integrity and contributes to the public realm of its community.

The September issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine (LAM)will feature the winning projects and is available online for free viewing. Septembers LAM will also be featured on the endcap of the magazine section in nearly 500 Barnes & Noble stores beginning September 14. Winners will be announced at the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO in Phoenix on Monday, October 1.

The winners of the ASLA 2012 Professional Awards are:

General Design Category

Award of Excellence A Green Sponge for a Water-Resilient City: Qunli Stormwater Park, Haerbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China By Turenscape and Peking University

Honor Award Canadas Sugar Beach, Toronto, Ontario, Canada By Claude Cormier + Associs, Inc.

Lafayette Greens: Urban Agriculture, Urban Fabric, Urban Sustainability, Detroit By Kenneth Weikal Landscape Architecture

Quarry Garden in Shanghai Botanical Garden, Songjiant District, Shanghai, China By THUPDI and Tsinghua University

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ASLA Announces 2012 Professional and Student Awards

The Irish Times - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

FRANK McDONALD, Environment Editor, in Venice

A SOARING timber lattice structure, designed by ODonnell and Tuomey Architects and made entirely from Irish Sitka spruce, is in contention for the premier Golden Lion award at the 13th international architecture exhibition, La Biennale in Venice.

The irregularly-shaped installation, which rises to a height of nine metres and weighs several tonnes, dominates one of the rooms of the Arsenale di Venezias 600m-long Corderie, where long ropes were once made for the Venetian fleet.

John Tuomey recalled Dantes description in his Inferno of ships being made at the Arsenale and paid tribute to Gem Joinery and the Irish timber industry for their support in realising the project, which cost 150,000 to construct.

Sheila ODonnell said they were planning to make it in oak, but it would have been too expensive, at 250,000, and Sitka spruce was the only commercial timber produced in Ireland.

It is intended to dismantle the structure after La Biennale closes on November 25th and reassemble it at a suitable venue in Ireland. Stack A in the Custom House Docks is one possibility.

The ODonnell and Tuomey exhibit is one element of the strongest representation yet of Irish architects at La Biennale, the most important international showcase for contemporary architecture worldwide, with 56 countries participating this year.

The Irish pavilion features an elaborate see-saw, described by creators Heneghan Peng Architects as an oscillating bench; it is one of the hits of La Biennale because its so interactive. Its called Shifting Ground a play on the Common Ground theme chosen by the 2012 Biennale director, Sir David Chipperfield and its level is set at Venices high-water mark.

At its official opening, the Irish Ambassador to Italy, Patrick Hennessy, said Irelands participation in La Biennale showcases the rich pool of architectural talent available in Ireland and will lead to further opportunities for Irish architects globally.

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Irish architects vie for Venice Golden Lion

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The American Institute of Architects Colorado, south chapter, recognized its 2012 architectural design winners Friday night at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.

Five award winners were selected from 12 entries, and were presented by jury chairman David Tryba of Tryba Architects in Denver.

The Honor Award for Built Architecture, the highest award, was given to RTA Architects Inc. in Colorado Springs , for its Gottlieb building additions and renovations.

The merit awards in the same category went to HB&A LLC in Colorado Springs for its work with the Pueblo Fire Station #4 and to RTA Architects for its Bear Creek Elementary School addition and renovation work in Boulder.

The merit award for un-built architecture went to HB&A for its work with the North Colorado Springs Readiness Center. And the citation award for un-built architecture went to CSNA Architects for its Colorado Springs Pauling Properties project.

AIA Colorado South is one of four chapters within the AIA Colorado component. The chapter is comprised of members from 18 counties in south and southeastern Colorado and includes Colorado Springs, Alamosa, Pueblo and La Junta.

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Colorado Springs architects win awards from AIA chapter

THE Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe (IAZ) and the Architects Council of Zimbabwe (ACZ), which are the representative and regulatory bodies for architects, respectively, wish to respond to the story entitled Row over public works contracts in the Zimbabwe Independent of August 3. The views of local architects quoted in the story are not representative of all architects since the IAZ and ACZ were not interviewed. The statements issued by these architects are merely the opinions of a few individuals. The IAZ, through the president or an appointed member agreed to by the Architects Board, issues all statements to the public.

The article is also misleading in that it created the impression that there is only one firm of architects that has the ability to design and supervise projects for public institutions.

There are 46 registered architect firms in Zimbabwe, all with the capacity to execute any given project. It is not correct that all the other 98% of architects firms dont perform and dont have the staff to supervise and monitor government projects.

The government has previously parcelled-out tenders to a number of registered architect firms for the design of the sporting facilities for the 1995 All Africa Games and prior to that Phase 2 of the Family Health Programme.

These projects were carried out very successfully. Distributing the projects was a way of building capacity in these firms, which is there still.

If the criteria for assessing a firms capacity to execute projects are merely limited to staff at their disposal, then those who lack the support of the public sector will always be sidelined as they cannot retain large staff when there is no work to be done.

Some students from NUST are failing to secure industrial attachment with local companies, as the firms do not have enough work to offer the students meaningful practical experience.

Therefore any concerns regarding the competence or conduct of an architect should be raised with the ACZ.

I Masiyanise,President of Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe.

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Comments on architects ‘misleading’

Two of Australia's most influential architects will share tips for integrating sustainable design, budget considerations and environmental sensitivity in Queenstown this month.

Architectural Designers New Zealand general manager Astrid Andersen said Lindsay and Kerry Clare's "Design to Inspire" New Zealand tour was "too good not to share".

Designed to appeal to anyone with an interest in improved design, including those who work within the design and construction sectors and those passionate about architecture and design, the four-stop tour would assist with ADNZ's key role - "to promote and encourage excellence in architectural design".

"This is a great way to achieve those aims, for our members, for other design and build professionals and for any person who cares about buildings and how they impact on their environment," Ms Andersen said.

Aside from the "enormous" possibilities and considerations in Canterbury, urban housing was set to grow "exponentially", she said.

Statistics indicated in Auckland alone 300,000 new houses would be constructed in the next four years.

"We all want better options for housing.Houses that are affordable to build as well as to run. That is genuine sustainability.

"This is a great way to get the conversation started on how we can achieve that, within a context that respects and represents the New Zealand urban style," she said.

The Design to Inspire tour is the first time the Clares have given a presentation in New Zealand since 2008.

The couple were awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal for Architecture in 2010 - the first time a husband and wife team had won the top Australian architecture prize and only the second time in the 50 years of the award a woman had been awarded the top honour.

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Architects share tips

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has been selected to design a major performing arts center in Salt Lake City, Utah, that local officials envision as the region's premier entertainment venue. Working with HKS Architects' Salt Lake City office, PCPA will lead the design of the Utah Performing Arts Center on the city's Main Street, where it will anchor a vibrant arts district.

The selection committee of the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City chose the PCPA/HKS team from a competitive pool that included designers of some of the most prestigious theaters in the world. "We are honored to be selected to design the Utah Performing Arts Center," said Cesar Pelli, senior principal of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. "Salt Lake City's attractive downtown, vibrant cultural life, and wonderful views will all shape our design for what will be an important new venue for the entire city and state."

As in the firm's previous work, the design of the Utah Performing Arts Center will capture the spirit of its place. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects will weave the theater into downtown Salt Lake City, making connections to recent developments and serving as a catalyst for additional economic growth. The firm's acclaimed works include the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisc.; and the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Halland Samueli Theater in Orange County, Calif.all world-class theaters that reflect their surroundings.

The 2,500-seat, state-of-the-art theater will be designed to attract the biggest and best first-run touring Broadway shows and concerts and will provide an additional venue for Utah performance groups such as Ballet West and Utah Opera.

About Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Founded in 1977 and led by Cesar Pelli, Fred Clarke, and Rafael Pelli, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has designed some of the world's most recognizable buildings, including the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Osaka, Japan, and the North Terminal at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The firm has been honored with critical acclaim and hundreds of design awards, including the American Institute of Architects' Firm Award and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

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Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects selected to design Utah Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City